The Search for The Pillar of Autumn
by Ryuk30
Summary: This is a story about a ship reaching where halo was destroyed and finding a unexpected guest lurking in the shadows.........


Debris was floating everywhere around the vessel Valkyrie. The ship had just left

slipstream and had reached it's destination. Captain Reed could

hear the scraping of metal as it slid against the front of the bridge. The distant sun

illuminated Reed's view helping him make out his surroundings. Some were rather

small and others were large but all shared the same characteristics, burnt, shredded, and

unrecognizable. "Sir! Spotted an alien vessel on radar we are coming up on it now.

Bringing it up on screen sir." Announced the Sensor Officer. This was the mission, one

month ago a ship called the Pillar of Autumn had disappeared after the battle of Reach.

Reports came in that the Pillar of Autumn was last picked up here and they had sent Reed

to find it and bring it back. At once the overhead screen flicked on and a covenant

phantom appeared on the screen. It was damaged alright but still intact. The purple color

of the covenant ship was faded. No lights beamed from its engines and it floated

uncontrollably seeming to be abandoned. All of a sudden a transmission was coming up

on the screen and as the static went away a covenant elite stood there beginning to speak.

Reed couldn't understand a word the elite said and soon he barked out, "Lieutenant get

that transmission working so I can understand the damn thing!" Quickly the Lieutenant

worked away on the computer and the transmission started it over again only this time in

English.

**September 30, 2552 CDS Recorded message.**

"This is elite commander Zuka. I am reporting in a covenant dropship. Are plans

with the holy ring have been ruined. A human vessel named The Pillar of Autumn has

followed are ships. We thought this resistant's could be handled but the humans were

very reluctant to give up. But it seems that the humans were the least of are worries, the

ring held a secret that the humans let lose. We could not figure out what it was but they

killed covenant and human alike controlling the dead corpses. Because of the flood the

ring was overrun and the humans destroyed the holy ring with their ship. We managed to

abandon to our ships but most of the Mother ships were destroyed by the blast, our

engines have failed, and we are stranded on this god forsaken vessel. (An Elite cry is

heard in the background and the elite talking turns around running to the noise)

something scurried across the floor but some kind of fog was suddenly clouding the

vessel.

**END OF TRANSMISSION**

Sergeant John Richardson sits curiously outside the bridge waiting for the search

reports. As a part of being a Helljumper his nerves are always high. A few other marines

waited around him eager to hear what the hell was going on. John pondered on the

thought of how long the trip had been and how they came up with nothing to report.

Suddenly the intercom blared all over the ship, "Officer Peirce report to

the bridge immediately." With much anticipation John jumped from his seat as Officer

Peirce passed by and entered the door into the bridge. "What do you think it is?" Asked a voice from the side. John looked over to see his old friend and comrade Sergeant William's.

The two of them met 10 years back at Reach where they both attended Lumar Academy leading the largest number of Helljumper graduates. After the Academy they shipped off on

the Valkyrie where they have moved up in rank and gained command of their own squad of ODST's each. "Don't know, must be something important they wouldn't call Officer Peirce in

if it was nothing." John replied back. "All I know is this waiting around has made me uneasy, we should have found the Autumn by now. I know Cortana is important to the Colonies

but we can't be chasing around some small hope that Cortana is still out there and that the Covenant have not got a hold of her." Williams announced. Before John could replied the

intercom echoed throughout the ship again. "Sergeant Williams report to the Bridge stat!" With that Williams walked towards the door and turned his head back to John and said,

"See you on the flip side Sergeant." John smiled and replied, "Falling feet first." With that Williams entered the bridge.

Sergent Williams entered and was astonished to see a corroded covenant drop ship floating in the endless space. As he looked around the room he established the seriousness of

the situation through both Officer Pierce's and Captian Reed's expressions. "Sergeant Williams reporting sir." Williams announced as he saluted his superiors. Captain Reed stepped

forward and addressed him, "Sergeant Williams you have been called into this meeting to command a search team to infiltrate the covenant drop ship and retrieve all Intel on

previous months. Understood?" Williams looked at the alien drop ship then back at his commanding officers. "Yes sir." Officer Pierce turned to the drop ship "Good, have your men

ready by 1715 dismissed." Williams nodded saluted his commanding officers and headed for the door. "Oh, and Sergeant Williams be ready for anything." Officer pierce warned.

Williams turned to his commanding officer and proclaimed "Don't worry sir we're helljumpers we're always ready" with that Williams walked out the bridge to prepare his squad. As

Williams turned the corner he caught eyes with John. "Well what's going on up there?" John questioned. Williams looked at him with a smile "We've got what looks to be an

abandoned covenant drop ship and they want my squad to check it out," John laughed "Why is it that you always get the easy routine checks." Williams laughed "fuck you." And

with that he left to prepare his squad.


End file.
